Learn how to ask and answer the question, "What is this?"
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| A: Top 25 Cantonese Questions You Need to Know - Lesson 22: What's this? in Cantonese. In each lesson of this 25 part series, you'll master a common question for Cantonese learners, and then learn how to answer it like a native. You'll learn how these key phrases work by breaking them down into each component. Then through repetition and new vocabulary, you'll expand your understanding of the question, its answers, and any variations. |
| In this lesson, you'll learn how to respond to the common question “What's this?” In Cantonese this is |
| B: 呢個係咩? |
| The first word in the question is |
| B: 呢個 |
| A: meaning “this” in English. |
| B: (Slow, by syllable) 呢個 |
| A: Listen again and repeat. |
| B: 呢個 |
| {Pause} |
| A: This pattern of first introducing a word at natural speed, providing the translation, breaking it down, and then giving it again at natural speed will be repeated throughout the series. Try to speak aloud as often as possible. The next word in the question is |
| B: 係 |
| A: meaning “to be.” |
| B: (Slow, by syllable) 係 |
| A: Now repeat. |
| B: 係 |
| {Pause} |
| Listen to the the first 2 words of the question and repeat. |
| B: 呢個係 |
| {pause} |
| And next |
| B: 咩 |
| A: meaning “what.” |
| B: (Slow, by syllable) 咩 |
| A: Now repeat. |
| B: 咩 |
| {Pause} |
| Listen to the entire question and repeat. |
| B: 呢個係咩 |
| {pause} |
| A: It literally means “this is what?” |
| A: You will hear this common question again and again throughout your studies. Master the following pattern and responses to the question “What's this?” |
| B: 係一部相機。 |
| A: "It's a camera.” Again, slowly. Repeat the phrase. |
| B: (Slow) 係一部相機。 |
| {pause} |
| A: Let's break it down from the beginning. The first word: |
| B: 係 |
| A: means “to be.” |
| B: (Slow, by syllable) 係 |
| A: Now repeat |
| B: 係 |
| {Pause} |
| A: And after that |
| B: 一部 |
| A: meaning “one”, followed by the measure word for machines. |
| B: (Slow, by syllable) 一部 |
| A:Now repeat. |
| B: 一部 |
| {Pause} |
| A: And after that |
| B: 相機 |
| meaning “camera.” |
| B: (Slow, by syllable) 相機 |
| A:Now repeat. |
| B: 相機 |
| {Pause} |
| A: Listen to the speaker say, “It's a camera.”, and then repeat. |
| B: 係一部相機。 |
| {pause} |
| A: To use a different phrase, replace “camera” with “typewriter.” |
| B: 打字機 |
| A: typewriter |
| B: (slow) 打字機 (regular) 打字機 |
| A: Listen to the phrase again, this time with ”typewriter.” |
| B: 係一部打字機。 |
| A: It mostly stays the same. Simply replace “camera” with “typewriter.” Say “It's a typewriter.” |
| {pause} |
| B: 係一部打字機。 |
| A: To expand on the pattern, replace “typewriter” with “television.” |
| B: 電視 |
| A: television |
| B: (slow) 電視 (regular) 電視 |
| A: Listen to the phrase again, this time with “television” |
| B: 係一部電視。 |
| A: It mostly stays the same. Simply replace “typewriter” with “television.” Say “It's a television.” |
| {pause} |
| B: 係一部電視。 |
| A: To use a different phrase, replace “television” with “telephone.” |
| B: 電話 |
| A: telephone |
| B: (slow) 電話 (regular) 電話 |
| A: Listen to the phrase again, this time with “telephone” |
| B: 係一部電話。 |
| A: It mostly stays the same. Simply replace “television” with “telephone.” Say “It's a telephone.” |
| {pause} |
| B: 係一部電話。 |
| Now it's time for a quiz. Imagine you are visiting Hong Kong and someone asks you what something is. It is a camera. Respond to the question. |
| B: 呢個係咩? (five seconds) 係一部相機。 |
| A: Now imagine that it's a typewriter. Respond to the question. |
| B: 呢個係咩? (five seconds) 係一部打字機。 |
| A: Imagine that it's a television. Answer the speaker's question. |
| B: 呢個係咩? (five seconds) 係一部電視。 |
| A: Imagine that it's a telephone. Respond to the question. |
| B: 呢個係咩? (five seconds) 係一部電話。 |
| A: You want to ask someone what something is. Ask the question |
| (5 seconds) |
| B: 呢個係咩? |
| {pause} |
| A: This is the end of Lesson 22 |
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